Classical & Contempary Music in Amsterdam

A pleasant feature of the Amsterdam music scene is the free lunch-time concert, usually chamber music, from 12.30pm to 1.30pm (not June, July or August, when everyone goes on holidays). The Muziektheater offers free concerts of 20th-century music on Tuesday in the Boekmanzaal; on Wednesday the Concertgebouw has chamber music or classical concerts (often public rehearsals), sometimes also jazz, but you won't be the only visitor taking advantage of this; and on Friday the Bethanienklooster puts on anything from medieval to contemporary, while the Usbreker specialises in contemporary music.

Bethanienklooster
(tel 625 00 78, Barndesteeg 6B).
A small former monastery near Nieuwmarkt Square with a glorious ballroom, it's the perfect place to take in some Stravinsky or Indian sitar.

Beurs van Serfage
(tel 627 04 66, Damrak 243).
This former commodities exchange houses two small concert halls with comfortable seats and underwhelming acoustics. Resident companies the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra and the Netherlands Philharmonic (under the direction of Hartmut Haenchen) play a varied menu of Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Mahler and Wagner.

Concertgebouw
(tel 671 83 45, Concertgebouwplein 2-6).
This world-famous concert hall with near-perfect acoustics is home to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra led by Riccardo Chailly. See it perform works by Ravel, Stravinsky and Shostakovich. Alternatively, watch visiting international soloists and chamber groups perform in the Recital Hall.

Koninklijk Theater Carre
(tel 622 52 25, Amstel 115-125).
This theatre presents a regular diet of crowd-pleasing opera, operetta, ballet, musicals and cabaret. Expect productions like The Barber of Seville and Madam Butterfly.

Muziekcentrum De IJsbreker
(tel 693 90 93, Weesperzijde 23).
Itching to hear some avant-garde jazz or a bit of modern Turkish guitar? This centre for contemporary music is the answer. In 2003 it will move to a new complex in the Eastern Docklands (west of the ship-passenger terminal) together with the Bimhuis jazz centre.

Muziektheater
(tel 625 54 55, Waterlooplein 22).
This swanky, large-scale theatre in the Stopera is the official residence of the Netherlands Opera, National Ballet and Netherlands Ballet Orchestra. Renowned international dance companies like Merce Cunningham and Martha Graham perform here too.

Stadsschouwburg
(tel 624 23 11, Leidseplein 26).
The National Travelling Opera calls this lovely theatre home. They and other international companies perform a regular roster of opera and operetta here.

Check the Amsterdam Uitburo for performances in churches (not just organ recitals), including the Oude Kerk, Nieuwe Kerk, Engelse Kerk (English/Scottish Presbyterian church in the Begijnhof), Round Lutheran Church, Waalse Kerk (Walloon Church; tel 030 236 22 36, Oudezijds Achterburgwal 157), Amstelkerk etc.